sidensol



` (No Model.;

WITJVESSES CANAL LUCK. l

Pateted Aug. 23, 1887.

.Httorney Nv PETERS. Pnulwlimngmpnm, wuhingm". llc,

`(No Model.)

T. SIDENSOL.

' CANAL LOCK.

Patented Y Il Il N. PETERS Plwlo-Lnhngmphnr. wnshi nnnnn .C

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Aug; 23, 1887.

'Q lh IJVVENTOR .lttorney UNITED STATES THEODORE SIDENSOL, OF LA GROSSE,

WISCONSIN, ASSIGN OF ONE-HALF TO O. L. HALSTEAD, OF SAME PLACE. v

CANAL- LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,860, dated August23, 1887 Application filed April 6, 1887.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, 'IHEoDoRE SIDENsoL,

a citizen of the-United States, residing at La Crosse, in the county ofLaCrosse and State of Visconsin, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Canal-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

The obj ect of my invention is to assist heavyY ladened boats leavinglocks on lower level and to provide for the displacement of water infront of boats when entering locks, which enables them to leave locks onlower level and to enter them morequickly and with much less labor thanby the means heretofore used.

To this end my invention consists in an im- 4 provement in a lockprovided with one or 2Q more tunnels or ducts, beginning below the uppergates of the lock, continuing to overliowchamber, and thence back to themain body of water below the lower gates, the same (for the admission ofwater therein) being provided with a gate operated by means of a rodwhich extends above the lock, and to which is attached a hand-wheel forthe convenience of adjustmentin opening and closing.

The reason for beginning the tunnel or duct at the upper end is toprevent boats cutting off the outlet. v If the locks are made doublelength, it willnecessitate another duct or tunnel behind the first boat.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, FigureI is a plan view of the lock; Fig. 2, an elevated sectional view oflock; Fig. 3, a side view.

Similar letters refer to similar parts th rough1 out the several views.y

The double arrows indicate the direction of the natural flow of water intheduct or tunnel when the boat is entering locks, and the single arrowthe direction when the boat is leaving lock on the lower level.

In order to fully understand accompanying drawings, A represents waterinlock; B, abutment; @,miter-si ll; D,gates; E,wall; F, lever; G, ductor tunnel; H,elbow ofduct; Lgate ofduct; K,overiiowchamber; J,handwheelof rod,and 5J L rod. v

I show in Fig. 1 rod L, which extends Serial No. 233,951. (No model.)

above the lock and is provided with handwheel J. I show in Fig. 2 gateI, which hand-wheel .I and rod L operate for the eduction and inductionof water into the duct or tunnel G. I also show in Fig. 2 a plan view ofduct or tunnel G in connection with overflow-chamber K. When a boat isabout entering lock, gate I is thrown open and the wa ter rushes throughit with such momentum (O into duct or tunnel G that it is necessary tohave overflow-chamber K to relieve or break up the column or ridge ofwater that forms therein.

In Fig. 3 is shown a plan view of hand- 55 wheel J, rod L, and gate I.

The duct or tunnel Gis constructed on either or both sides of lock, ifnecessary, in connection therewith, out of stone or other suitablematerial. Overiow-chamber K is a part of duct or tunnel G, and issimilarly constructed. Canallocks are constructed so as to be used totheir utmost capacity. In other words, boats are made as large as theycan possibly beto enter locks. The sides and bottoms of each nearlytouch.

When a boat is approaching lock, the boatman calls for headway,whichenables the boat to enter lock quickly for about eight or ten feet. Itthen comes to astop, owing to the re- 8o bound or reaction of thebreaker, caused by the water being forced by boat against the uppergate, and notwithstanding the strenuous efforts of thehorses it isforced back to the entrance ofthe lock, remaining stationary untilthelarge body of water that has been forced in front of the boat canescape. As locks are now constructed this can only be accomplished bythe suction of this water under the boat and its escape at the sidesthereof, which re- 9o quires some time and considerable effort on thepart of the horses or propelling-power. My improvement obviates thisdifliculty by preventing the formation of a breaker in front of theboat. As the boat is about to enter,lock g5 gate I is thrown open andthe large body of water (which forms the breaker) passes quickly throughit into duct or tunnel G, thence back into the main body of water belowlower gates back of boat on same level with waterin lock, rco thereby'assisting boat to enter easily. By my improvement in the constructionof locks I am enabled to have boat enter lock in about one-third of thetime required ordinarily and with very little eiort.

Again, when a heavy-laden boat is leaving lock on lower level, it hasthe same diiiculty getting out. The water must first pass in lock behindthe boat before it can pass out. My improvement remedies this trouble.The gate I is opened andthe water follows in alter the boat through ductor tunnel G (in an opposite direction from its course when boat isentering) to the sumelevel with boat, thereby likewise assisting thesame. This, however, is not the case when it enters lock from upperlevel, as it passes readily in, because it has the combined depth ofwater in upper und lower level and there is room for its displacement.

As locks are now constructed, they sometimes help boats out of lock byletting waiter in behind them from the upper level; but in dry seasonstheyhuve not water to spare. My improvement prevents this, as itutilizes all the water und prevents waste.

Vhat I claim is- 1. The herein-described structural device for thedisplacement of water in front of boats when entering canal-locks and toassistheavilyladened boats leaving locks on lower level, &c., whichconsists of a suitable gate and opera-ting device therefor, incombination with overilow-chamberK and duct G, which begins below theupper gate of lock and continues to overliowchember K, thence back tothe mein body of water below the lower gates, substantiully asdescribed, und for the purpose set forth.

2. An improvement in canal-locks, consisting of o, gate operated bysuitable hand-wheel and rod,in combination with duct or tunnel G andoverilowhchamber K, substantially as de scribed, and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE SIDENSOL.

Witnesses:

JOHN BRINDLEY, JOHN J. FRUIT.

